Liquid cooling and transporting system



Sept 13, 1938. H, A. MIDDLETON 2,129,778

LIQUID COOLING AND TRANSPORTING SYSTEM Filed June l5, 1936 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID COOLING AND TRANSPORTING SYSTEM This invention relates to liquid cooling and transporting systems wherein heat transfer is the principle involved, and the primary object of the invention is to provide such a system that will preclude a rise in temperature of liquid as it passes from one point to another appreciably remote point.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a liquid cooling and transporting system,

with means for cooling the liquid substance which insures that heat transfer will take place between the said liquid being cooled and two heat-absorbing elements, one of which is a refrigerant utilized to maintain in existence the other element.

A still further aim of the invention is to provide a system of the aforementioned character that comprises two substantially co-extensive pipes, preferably arranged in side-by-side, abutting relation so that heat transfer might occur by conduction through the contacting walls of the pipes, one of which has circulated therethrough, a vaporizing refrigerant, while the other is used in transporting liquid from one point to another.

Draw-off systems for beer and other liquids oftentimes embody a stretch of pipe which joins the point of origin of the liquid and the dispensing point. While the liquid is passing through the comparatively long pipe joining these two points, its temperature is raised, resulting in rendering the beer or other liquid practically unfit for use,

and this invention contemplates the provision of special structure that will maintain the temperature of the liquid being transported as it is moved from the point of supply to the dispensing point. 36 Not only might the invention be used in connection with draw-off systems for beer and the like, but may likewise be constructed in buildings where long stretches of conduits must be employed to convey liquid from one point to another. Structural details and various embodiments of the invention will become apparent during the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatioal View of a liquid cooling and transporting system embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, condensed, central sectional view through the stretch of pipes disposed 50 between two remote points.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through said stretch of pipes.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a liquid cooling means that may be used with the system illus- 55 trated in Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

In the exemplication of the invention illustrated, a beer draw-oit system is employed as a medium that embodies the features contemplated. 5 In this system, the point oi' supply is keg 8, disposed in a refrigerator or cooler I8, and having in connection therewith, a -conduit I2 which transports the beer to a remote dispensing point consisting of faucet I4 and cooler I6. .Tube I8 is 10 positioned in side-by-side relation with respect to conduit I2 and preferably contacts conduit I2 throughout the co-extensive portions thereof. This tube I8 is joined by pipes 20 and 22 with the conventional type means 24 for circulating a ll vaporizing refrigerant through tube I8. The well known valves 23, interposed in pipes 28 and 22, control the passage of vaporizing refrigerant.

Common means for housing the co-extensive lengths of conduit I2 and tube I8 is here shown to be in the'form of a housing 26, composed of insulating material which insures that heat transfer will occur between liquid passing through conduit I 2 and the vaporizing refrigerant being circulated through tube I8. The distance between 25 the point of origin or storage of the liquid being dispensed and the point of draw-off in some instances is as much as one hundred feet, and the assembly of parts between these two points when constructed as described will insure that the tem- 30 perature of the liquid being dispensed will not rise as it is transported from keg 8 to faucet Il.

It is conceivable how such construction might be embodied in a system for distributing cooled water throughout a building, and the step of plac- 35 ing in juxtaposition a pair of pipes will be found to present an advantage in` a large number of ways.

It is sometimes desirable to lower the temperature of the liquid being dispensed, and if such is 40 required, the principle of placing together two pipes as aforementioned employed, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. As the liquid is passing through a conduit 28, a vaporizing refrigerant is circulated through 'tube 30 that is in side-by-side relation 45 with conduit 28. The tubes may be coiled or disposed in a serpentine path as illustrated and then placed in a housing 32. having congealable liquid 34 therein. It is intended that the method of cooling liquids include the step of maintaining a layer of ice 36 or solidified congealable liquid over the outside V'of juxtaposed conduit 28 and tube 30. Thus not only will the liquid being transported and dispensed be delivered without raising the temperature, but the liquid will actually be cooled and the temperature lowered to the desired amount.

Obviously, in a structure wherein isemployed pipes related as mentioned, heat will be transferred from the liquid being cooled and transported directly to both the refrigerant in the adjoining tube and to the ice surrounding both pipes.

Only typical structures have been illustrated and described. It is understood that the invention might be embodied in systems of widely varying characters, and while the invention has been made clear through reference to a particular transporting and dispensing system, it is desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid cooling and transporting system adapted to preclude a rise in temperature of the liquid as it passes from one point to another point appreciably remote from the one point, comprising a straight conduit for the liquid extending between the two points; a straight tube in juxtaposed, parallel, abutting relation with the conduit; means for circulating the refrigerant through said tube; and means for controlling the flow of refrigerant through said tube.

2. In a liquid cooling system, means for cooling the liquid substance comprising a pair of pipes in side-by-side, contacting relation; common means for housing the pipes; and congealable liquid in the housing, one of said pipes having a vaporizing refrigerant passing therethrough, the liquid being dispensed passing through the other pipe, the refrigerant serving to maintain a part of the congealable liquid in a solid state and to lower the temperature of the liquid being cooled, heat from the liquid being cooled being transferred directly to both the said refrigerant and to the solid congealed liquid.

3. In a liquid cooling system, means for cooling the liquid comprising a pair of pipes in side-byside contacting relation, arranged to conduct a. vaporizing refrigerant and the liquid to be cooled respectively; a housing for the pipes adapted to hold a congealable liquid in heat transfer relation to said pipes. said refrigerant having a temperature low enough to maintain a congealed coating of the congealable liquid around both of the said pipes, the portion of said pipes within the housing being positioned to receive a coating of ice from the liquid within the housing.

HOWARD A. MIDDLETON. 

